A Special Uniformity
by Meowfyre
Summary: Of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy was always the only one who lived up to the name. However what if the rest of the crew lived up to the name? AU


**Author's Note**

**Yo potential reader! This my wonderful welcome to my first foray into the glorious world of fanfiction! In this fic I will be showcasing what I would think would happen if the straw hat crew really lived up to their name, making them more noticeable and identifiable. This first chapter starts at the conclusion of the Ar long Park saga. I implore you, read on!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. Oda does.**

Luffy rose from the rubble that was once Arlong Park, shrugging off the wreckage like it was no more than an annoyance. His body had the tell-tale scratches of battle, but the hardest parts of him that got damaged were the sides of his chest and his right elbow. Luffys red vest was punctured at the sides by Arlong's teeth, the blood that had flowed from the wounds recreating an unbroken red over Luffy's chest. The bite wound on his elbow was the most noticeable wound, as a small river of blood trickled down. Lifting his head, looking straight at Nami, Luffy yelled, "NAMI!"

Luffy breathed heavily, before yelling again, "YOU ARE MY FRIEND." Nami looked back at him, her gaze meeting his. The mightiest pirate crew in East Blue, defeated. Her hometown, freed. Her tormentor, battered and buried under the remains of Arlong park. All because he had decided that they were Nakama. Her tears welled up in her eyes, leaking out over her cheeks. Her lower lip covered her higher lip, but out of the mouth's corner a shaky smile dawned. Her bandaged left hand rose up to wipe away some of her tears. She had millions of things to say, but she trusted herself only to nod and force out a confirming mix between a whimper and a sob.

The exchange slowly broke out the villagers of a trance. Among the crowd, at first a whisper but growing into a cheer of, "WE WON!" After 8 years of oppression, the villagers were able to well and truly smile, their happiness clear by the following cheer, "ARLONG PARK HAS FALLEN!" Villagers threw up their patchwork weapons, some breaking into dance, while others rushed to Luffy to throw him up into the air in celebration. Runners are sent to the other villages to carry the news.

A clapping slowly roused the villagers from their celebration as the sound drew their attention. Off a boat stepped marines, led by a man wearing a grey coat and his hair covered by its hood. The hood had mouse ears on it, which combined with the whiskers of its wearer gave him a resemblance to a mouse. "Chi chi chi chi," laughed Nezumi as he sarcastically applauded. "Oh wow, I never thought that Arlong could ever be defeated." Nezumi's grin deepened. "However Arlong Park has always been an illegal structure, so to properly investigate we marines shall confiscate its contents, chi chi chi." The platoon of marines stepped forward in unison, their rifles at the ready. Really its an impressive display of training and discipline.

The villagers glared at the marines, their anger at the Marines clear in their faces. Hands gripped around makeshift weapons, thoughts storming in their heads. Do they relinquish their lifeblood of 8 years that was slowly bled from them to these fat scavengers or do they fight, running headfirst into the waiting guns of these supposed protectors that swooped down like vultures to prey upon the fresh carcass. If it were only the Marines and the villagers, the villagers would have charged down into the Marines to try to win back their 8 years of loss. However these vultures have made a mistake. When coming upon a fresh corpse, scavengers must be careful. That which fell the prey may still be lurking around.

Nami is among the crowd, her distress at Nezumis interference at the climax of their happiness showing on her face. Again, he's come to take my happiness away again, thought Nami. Just like my money, right when I had hope of freedom and happiness he comes to take it away! Tears began to leak from her eyes, her lip trembling. As her sadness reached a crescendo, her captain's deceptively calm voice cut through it, "Hey Nami, is that whisker-guy making you cry?" Turning around, she saw Luffy slowly making his way through the crowd, his eyes promising pain if the answer was yes. Nami looked at him before hastily rubbing her arm over her face to clean away the tears. In a wavering voice Nami said, "They're going to take the treasure Luffy." She rubbed at her face, but the tears kept on streaming from her eyes. Luffy's expression darkened as he gave a curt nod.

Slowly he walked out from the crowd like a lion emerging from a throng of kittens. In a voice of menace and authority Luffy called out, "Zoro. Usopp. Sanji." There was no frantic looking around for them or even glance to see if they were obeying. From Luffy there was only confidence that his crew would obey as he ominously cracked his knuckles.

With a grunt Zoro got up from where he sat, slowly walking to the right position of Luffy. Yawning tiredly he raised his left hand to cover his mouth. Lazily glaring at Nezumi he muttered, "Hmph, just when I thought I was going to get some rest." Grinning with excitement, the swordsmen cockily smirked at Nezumi. His hand rested on wado ichimonji(1) as he ever so slightly pushed it out, the light glinting off the inch of the blade that was shown.

Sanji walked up to the left of Luffy, his black shoes tapping against the pavement stepping over rubble before coming to a stop. A cigarette smoldered in his mouth. His right hand moved to grip his chin in a thoughtful way while his left remained in his pocket. "Hmm hmm. Never cooked a mouse before. Could Grill it or maybe bake it?" Blowing out some smoke, a cocky grin spread over his face as he looked at Nezumi. "Nah I think I'll just roast it over a slow fire."

Nezumi scowled in indignation, his forehead so creased it looked like a patch of earth that a farmer had plowed furrows into. His eyes burrowed into the three scum that dared to stand in his way. But his rotten corrupt mind was quick and he came up with a plan. His face of anger disappeared as it was replaced with a cocky smirk. "Chi chi chi chi," he laughed, "How about after we valiantly defeated Arlong, you scum attacked us to take Arlong's treasures. That will get you 10, maybe 15 years. Oooh, if you're really unlucky you'll get sent to the great prison Impel Down. Chi chi chi, naturally we'll omit from the report that we confiscated the treasures."

Nezumi cockily smirked, gazing around at the cries of outrage from the villagers. Suddenly like a quickly grabbed hot cup of coffee, the smirk dropped. Nezumi yelled, "SILENCE!" He seriously glared at the militia rabble, their cries silenced by Nezumi's exclamation of authority. A sly little smile made it's way to Nezumi's face before he continued, "With Arlong gone, we marines shall be able to establish a base upon this little rock. If anyone would like to contact the higher ups, your messages will be forwarded to us for "inspection" of whether or not it's worthy of the marine's notice." The villagers flinched at this, the true message reaching them. Nobody would be able to contact non-corrupted marines to try to help them. Nezumi's smile turned into a grin as he continued, "Of course maintaining a base is expensive. Seeing how you're so used to paying Arlong's life tax, I wouldn't want to break the status quo. So I'll just let you all pay the same. I'm sure it will be worth it to protect you from pirates."

Suddenly Nezumi's cocky gloating is cut short as he terror and dread fills his body. Unconsciously he steps back as his head turns to the source. The bleeding, dirty, wounded _boy_ who had beaten Arlong was piercing him with a stare so sharp it might as well have been a sword. Luffy's arms were crossed and his face was shadowed ominously as he stared at Nezumi, the anger radiating off him like heat from the sun.

His cracked lips parted, as in a deceptively calm voice he started speaking, "Hey Mousey guy. You can't set up a base here. I don't know about it's story, but Nami really likes this place and she really dislikes you. So you can't be here." With his unrelenting glare fixed on Nezumi, Luffy ominously cracks his knuckles.

Though Nezumi flinched at the powerful emotions Luffy was channeling at him, he put on a cocky smirk, rationalizing to himself that a wounded and tired kid wouldn't be able to harm him. "So you're going to stand in the way of Marines? We are the enforcers of the World Government's will!" Nezumi reached into his grey coat and drew out a cutlass, pointing it at the defiant trio. "ATTACK!"

With a wordless battle cry, the numerous marines surged forward. Drawing cutlasses, they rushed forth intent on overpowering the trio through strength of numbers. Zoro grips his sword, ever so slightly inching it from his sheath as he says, _**"One Sword Style: Flying" **_Sanji tucks his hands into his pockets, tapping his shoes against the pavement saying, _"**Cr****ê****pe..."**_

With a final wordless battle cry, the sea of blue and white crashed against the pirates. As the marines reached them, two voice rang out, completing sentences. Appearing behind the marines, Zoro held his sword horizontal to the ground and blood rushed out of half the marines as cuts appeared over them. Bringing up his sheath, Zoro slides his sheath over the sword as he completes his attack's name, **_"...Raptor.(2)"_**

The other half are knocked into the air, some of them landing in the water while the rest falling in a heap on the land. Sanji was standing on his hands, his legs slowing down from the propeller like spin that had clobbered the marines. Hopping onto his feet, Sanji blew out smoke as he finished his own attack's name, _**"...Ronde.(3)" **_

Nezumi stared agape at the two men who so effortlessly dealt with his men, his eyes sticking out of his head like ice cream cones plastered where his eyes should be. These men were _tired_ and _wounded_, while his men were trained marine soldiers. They were corrupt, but they were still marines with marine training. Yet they had been dealt with like they were little kids playing with sticks.

The two men who had so effortlessly dealt with his men slowly stepped to the side, as the very picture of tranquil fury approached him. Though it was only a tired, wounded, bleeding, _kid, _Nezumi had never been more scared in his life. He found himself shaking without even realizing it, his cutlass almost falling from his grip. Behind the furious teen who slowly walked towards him, Nezumi could swear he saw something manifest. At first it was only a black outline, but as he drew closer it solidified into a gigantic, roaring gorilla beating it's chest and barring it's teeth at him. It's fists were bloody, somehow Nezumi just _knew _the blood did not belong the ape. At that moment Nezumi felt every bit like the mouse he so resembled, his whole body shaking.

However if a rodent is cornered, it may just desperately bite back. Driven by terror and desperation, Nezumi charged at Luffy. Abandoning all his discipline and form, he instinctively charged at that which threatened him so. Rushing at the monster before him, he prepared to slash at the teen. Just as he was about to get into range to strike a voice rang out, _**"Sure Kill: Lead Star!"**_A speeding _thing_ rushed from behind Luffy, barely passing him by a half inch as it collided with Nezumi's right knee. Nezumi felt his kneecap break, all his momentum transferring into him falling onto his face. His cutlass fell from his hand as he tipped forward. But before he could fall onto his face he saw a sandal step into view under him, his only warning before Luffy drove his fist into the marine captain's gut.

The force of the punch blasted the marine into the water, his eyes blank and his mouth agape as he floated spread eagle. Luffy breathed heavily, even his inhuman stamina stretched by the ordeal. With the tormenter of Nami defeated his expression softened, a grin showing on his face. Though battered and weary, he had helped a crewmate. And that was enough for him to be happy.

The villagers began to celebrate the man who had saved them from oppression, who had vanquished their tormentors. However for Nami who perhaps had the most to celebrate, the whole world faded away except for one thing. Luffy, smiling like the fool he was had helped her. No more then that, he had saved her. At that moment Nami never felt more connected to anyone. She had such gratitude for this man, this Captain of hers, not to mention the rest who had also fought to help her.

For this Nami wanted to express her gratitude, she didn't just want to join the crew. She wanted to _thank _the crew. But how? She thought upon how to express her immense gratitude, when her attention was drawn to something. Luffy's straw hat, still fixed upon her head. Right then, she knew _exactly_ how to thank them

1. In case you don't know, that would be Zoro's white sword.

2. I made up this attack, as I was unable to find a suitable multi-target attack for one sword style. Hope it's OK!

3. I was unable to find the name for Sanji's handstand spinny move, so I made one up. If you know it, please tell me! It's french for Pancake Rounder.


End file.
